Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

We have quite a small, modest home and we still need me to work in order to afford everything BEYOND just the mortgage and taxes. I do have a lot of perks with my current job (i.e. being able to work from home a couple days per week) and my ILs watch DS when I am at work. My family also come down regularly to help out. Also, as much as I THOUGHT I would love being a SAHM, when I was home on maternity leave, I was going absolutely stir-crazy. For me, and our marriage to survive, I NEED to keep working. There's other things too........DH is self-employed, so we rely on my job for health insurance and the 401K. Would never have that stuff if I stayed home.

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

welll...i have the tiniest home ever and still have to work! BUT all kidding aside, i would ONLY do it if i truly hated my job and my hours. like if i wasn't getting home until very late and not seeing DD very often. i

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

I dont know if this counts....

When this house was bought 4 years ago it was with the idea that we could renovate. It had the location, yard, large basement, that we wanted but it needs a lot of updates..(that's putting it mildly)

When we decided to have DS we also decided that I would be a SAHM. That decision put all of our plans for the house on hold....

It's not that we arent updating. But it takes us longer to come up with the $$$ to do the updates. My kitchen is laughable, the bathrooms are hideous, landscaping is nonexistant...but we are all happy and that's what counts the most.

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

I wouldn't downsize my house to stay home. I would try to cut other expenses so maybe you could work part time.

Message edited 5/16/2009 9:05:03 AM.

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

If you feel that strongly about staying at home, I would in a heartbeat...ONLY because you can't have the time back with your child, but you can always buy another house when you're ready to in the future. Its all about YOUR comfort level and how you would handle going back to work. If you love your job then its a bit of a diff. story. For me, it was a nobrainer as I hated my job and always wanted to SAH.

It's hard for me to comment as we have been renting for the past 2 years so I don't have first hand experience with owning a home. But we are now at the point where we are shopping for homes..however I still plan on staying home with this next baby, it's very important to me...so we are hunting for something very affordable...dreamhome will have to wait

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

Message edited 5/16/2009 10:39:05 AM.

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

definitly not for me. Eventually, you will probably grow out of the downsized house.. i would try going back to work first. It might not be as bad as you think

Re: Spinoff to SAHM budgeting... Downsizing to stay home

Really up to you. I can't tell you what to do and only you know what is most important to you and your family.

I think a lot depends upon how many children you plan to have and how much space the new house has. Could you see yourselves staying in the downsized house long-term or would it just be for a few years? Is there a good amount of property and could you expand it if you decided you wanted to stay long-term?

We bought a smaller house that needed (still needs) some work and updates, but was in a great neighborhood. It's small, but we never planned to have a big family, and it's big enough for us. So we never intended to trade up.

If you think you would want something bigger in a few years, I would try working for awhile and stay put. The closing costs alone will not make it worth it, and you can try working and see how it goes.